Roanoke Times changes editors

A memo sent to staffers on behalf of publisher Terry Jamerson says Joseph P. Stinnett will replace Carole Tarrant as editor of the paper. Warren Buffett’s BH Media Group announced in late May it would purchase the newspaper.

Reached by telephone Tuesday, Tarrant said she learned about the change Monday morning. She is currently weighing opportunities and looking forward to spending the rest of the summer with her 11-year-old son. “My Facebook page has just gone crazy with really heartfelt support,” she said. “You always hope you leave an impact.” Until she learned she was out, Tarrant said, she was unaware of any problems her bosses had with her tenure.

Tarrant joined the Times in 2005 and was named its editor in 2007.

The Times sent out a press release with what appears to be the same wording as the memo, which follows.

Joseph P. Stinnett, managing editor of The News & Advance in Lynchburg, has been named editor of The Roanoke Times. He replaces Carole Tarrant.

Stinnett has been the top editor at the Lynchburg paper since 1995.

He will begin work in Roanoke immediately and plans to move downtown. His appointment was announced Monday by Terry H. Jamerson, publisher of the Roanoke newspaper and vice president of BH Media, which owns both the Roanoke and Lynchburg newspapers. Jamerson said, “We are fortunate to have Joe Stinnett joining the great staff here at the Roanoke Times. His emphasis has always been on local news and that’s what important to our greater Roanoke community.”

“I’m really looking forward to working with all the talented folks in Roanoke,” Stinnett said. “The Roanoke Times is a great paper with a terrific reputation and I am lucky to have the chance to work here. I’ll miss all my friends and colleagues in Lynchburg, but I am looking forward to making new ones in Roanoke and getting to know the community.”